Applied Microbiology: Open Access
Open Access
ISSN: 2471-9315
+44 1300 500008
ISSN: 2471-9315
+44 1300 500008
C Mahendranathan
Eastern University, Sri Lanka, Chenkalady, Sri Lanka
Posters & Accepted Abstracts: Appli Microbiol Open Access
One of the great challenges for food security in the 21st century is searching for possibilities to improve yield stability through the development of disease-resistant crops, against the most problematic diseases. The present study was undertaken to enhance natural disease resistance of Capsicum annuum L. against anthracnose disease, through some selected pre- and postharvest treatments. The fungal pathogen, C.acutatum, was isolated from naturally infected chili with anthracnose, collected from the study area. Potassium silicate (Kasil�®) was applied as a postharvest treatment at concentrations, 0 (control), 100, 200, and 400 mg/l and found that the concentration at 200 mg/l was effective. Elicitor treatment, at 200 mg/l, was done once in a week for 4 weeks, it resulted in significantly reduced anthracnose disease when the harvested fruits were challenge-inoculated with C. acutatum. Postharvest application of potassium silicate (Kasil�®), at the same concentration reduced anthracnose lesion area by 25 - 100%, compared to the untreated controls. Postharvest spray treatment of chili at mature, green stage with potassium silicate at 200mg/I, reduced the severity of anthracnose development by 34-100%. Spore germination assay revealed that potassium silicate has no antifungal effect on conidia of C. acutatum. Potassium silicate (Kasil�®) treated fruits, inoculated with C. acutatum after harvest, showed greater accumulation of phytoalexins. Related (PR) Proteins such as �²-1, 3-glucanase are considered to play an important role in plant disease resistance.